Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-02-01
AT THE CHARITY BALL.
How Pat Harris Got the Box In.
tended for the President.

Quite little story is told OF the adven-
lures of the President at the Baltimore
ball last week. He and Mrs. Cleveland
were to be the guests OF Mr.. and Mrs.
John Gill, who are recognized as
the leaders OF arlstocratic society
in Baltimore, and have many mil
lions. At the Academy OF Music,
where the ball was held, are only four
| boxes, two OF which are on level with
| the stage and the others with the gallery.
These boxes were sold at auction, Robert
Garrett, OF the Baltimore 4 Ohio Railroad
purchasing one and Pat Harris the other.
Mr.. Gill, it was understood by the man
ayers OF the affair, was to have the other
lower box, and to take care OF the Presi-
dents party, or at least, the more i'm
portant members OF it, while Mr.. Garrett
was to take the rest. To the surprise of
every one, however, Pat Harris, who was
formerly an attaChe of Il circus, and now
owns a dime museum, came in at the sale
and bid against Mr.. Gill for the other
box. Garrett got his box for $3.50, but
Pat Harris ran the bidding on the other
up to 81 100. Gill followed him to 81 900,
but fell out there, and it was knocked off
to the museum man.
All sorts OF persuasion was used on
Harris to get him to surrender the box
so that it might be used for the enter
tainment OF the President, but he said he
had bought ii for his own use and would
be glad to entertain the President him
self. This, OF course, would not do, and
the arstocracy OF Baltimore was horri-
fled. The perpleXing problem OF enter
tanning the President was solved, how
ever, in an awkward way. Mrs. Gill, the
president OF the charity for whose benefit
the ball was intended, whose guests Mr.
and Mrs. Cleveland were to be, and who
was to open the ball with the President
while her husband escorted Mrs. Cleve-
land, fell suddenly and conveniently i'll
so that she could not be present, and the
duty OF receiving the Washington party
fell upon Mr.. Garrett who had the other
box. This change OF arrangements made
much confusion. The Presidents party
arrived at the station in Baltimore at
$3.50 O'Clock, and was detained there till
8: 40, so as to reach the ball at 10
O'Clock precisely, and lead the grand
march on the floor. This part of the
programme was carried out to the
minute, but upon reaching the Academy
OF Music Mr.. Garrett was nowhere to be
found, Tor he, having misunderstood his
part, or having been misiniormed, did
not reach the place till 1925, under the
supposition that the entree was to be
made at hall past the hour.
Thus for half an hour the President
and Mrs. Cleveland were kept standing
in the foyer and the crowd, and the
former, being punctuality itself, and al
ways impatient at delay, came very near
losing his temper and getting his rheu-
matte legs tired. But Mr. Garrett came
at last, the procession was formed,
and the rest OF the programme was
carried out to the letter. As MIR. Gar
rett's box would not contain but six PEG.
pie, most OF the Presidents party had to
stand on the floor with the other guests,
while Pat Harris, the museum man, with
a hotel clerk lor his guest, smiled grimly
from the other box on the angry
Managers hicog0 Ne,CS Special.